Honeysuckle
by rscoil
Summary: Even the strongest of couples can struggle when it comes to paint color.


"I think we should repaint."

Christine sat on the little couch in the music room. Erik was on the floor, sheet music spread out in all directions as he attempted to organize the scattered papers.

He looked up at her. "I'm fine as is. Why do you want to change it?"

"Don't you think it's a little dark in here?"

Erik looked around at dark red walls, a holdover from the previous owner. The room was lit by a pair of stained glass antique lamps and the dim light of Christine's phone screen.

"Again, I am happy as is. You already insisted that we change the carpet in here."

"It was black with red flowers."

"It was a good wool carpet. They don't make them like that anymore."

"It was literally disintegrating and you know it."

"No promises, but I suppose we can get some swatches."

She grinned at him and her smile lit up the room better than any coat of paint.

* * *

"Not yellow."

"It would be more cheerful."

"Maybe, but you've heard my music. It's not cheerful and it is certainly _not_ yellow."

"How about blue? You could get some ocean vibes."

"I don't need inspiration to write calypso. It's not my genre."

They'd been standing in front of the paint samples at their local hardware store for half an hour at this point.

"Are you going to shoot down everything I suggest?"

"Listen, I love you, but whatever decision we make today is going to affect any music I produce. It needs to be right."

"What are you two arguing about today?" Meg adjusted her apron with the hardware store's logo on it. Over the six months since they'd bought their house, she'd become their unofficial hardware store mediator.

"Well, it's not an argument, exactly," Christine began.

Meg held up a hand to stop her. "Just kidding. Honey, I've seen way worse fights in this store than you two quietly debating paint colors. Honestly, I think they should pay me extra to be a marriage counselor. Anywho, what's today's project?"

"We're repainting the music room," Christine told her with a smile. "It's dark red right now and it just feels like it sucks the light out of the room, you know?"

"Oooh. We'll have to make sure you get heavy duty primer. A music room sounds fancy! Which one of you uses it more?"

"Erik does. I'm there a few hours a day and he's there most of the day. It doubles as his office."

"Uh huh. Well, Chris, I think you'd better let him pick the color then."

"Since when do you side with me?" Erik asked, amusement tinting his voice.

"Hey, I sided with you on the countertops, remember?"

He laughed and passed the women a swatch. "Since I've been mandated to pick something light, I think this will do."

Christine peered at the name. "Honeysuckle Pearl? It's almost white."

"I'm aware. I figure we can do three walls with that and I'll paint a mural on the back wall."

"Okay, but you're not painting the _Dies Irae_ on the wall."

"Deal."

* * *

"I have a surprise for you," Erik announced when she got home from rehearsal. He was grinning ear to ear and practically vibrating with excitement.

He took her hand and led her to the music room.

"If you would close your eyes." He led her into the room, feeling his heartbeat race.

"Open."

She could barely believe her eyes. The room looked massive. The colors from the lamps' stained glass shades made the room look warm and welcoming.

The back wall was covered in the music of their wedding march. The left wall held framed copies of newspaper articles about her career and action shots from some of her favorite roles. The right wall had framed copies of some of his favorite compositions, including a few personal ones that he'd never published. There were a few smaller frames, housing what she recognized as love notes she'd left for him when they were dating.

"You saved all these?"

"They are every bit as much an achievement as the compositions."

Her smile brought even more light into the room.

Erik was home, in this room, with this music, with this woman. She kissed him, then, the first of many in their shared sanctuary.


End file.
